In November 2025, Liaoning PSC detained 2 vessels in total, both cases credited to Dalian PSC. One had the usual 2 detention deficiencies, while the other had as many as 19 detention deficiencies.

It is rare enough for a vessel to be given 19 deficiencies by PSC, let alone 19 detention deficiencies—this vessel must have committed a cardinal violation. What does this reveal? And what trend does it indicate? Let’s take a closer look at this issue in this issue.

Detention 1

On November 5, Dalian PSC detained the general cargo vessel FORE (IMO No.: 8355504). Built on January 28, 2008 with a gross tonnage of 2,972, the vessel did not display its flag state and classification society. However, according to the official Tokyo MOU database, its flag state is Sint Maarten, classification society is Universal Maritime Bureau Ltd, and the ship management company is a Hong Kong-based firm.

The vessel was issued 30 deficiencies by PSC, including 19 detention deficiencies, detailed as follows:

Detention Deficiency 1: 13101 Main engine emergency stopping device out of order.

Meaning: Malfunction of the main engine emergency shutdown device.

Detention Deficiency 2: 99101 the condition of the ship and its equipment not maintained to conform with the provisions of the present regulations to ensure that the ship in all respects will remain fit to proceed to sea without dangers to the ship or persons onboard.

Meaning: The vessel's equipment and condition indicate that it is unseaworthy and unable to ensure personnel safety.

The fact that PSC issued such a deficiency speaks volumes about how poor the vessel's condition truly is.

Detention Deficiency 3: 08104 phase failure alarm for motors of steering gear not provided as required.

Meaning: The steering gear is not fitted with a fault alarm.

Detention Deficiency 4: 07114 quick-closing valve for do tank(more than 500l in forecastle on main deck) not provided as required.

Meaning: The steering gear is not fitted with a fault alarm.

Detention Deficiency 5: 04102 emergency fire pump out of order.(failed to pressurize the fire main as required)

Meaning: The emergency fire pump is faulty and unable to supply fire water to the main fire main.

Detention Deficiency 6: 07199 oil level gauge for DO tanks (p/s and s/s) not provided as required.

Meaning: Two oil tanks are not fitted with oil level gauges.

Detention Deficiency 7: 07199 Self-closing blanking device and small diameter self-closing control cock for sounding pipe termination of DO tanks (p/s and s/s) not provided as required.

Meaning: The sounding devices of two oil tanks located in the engine room are not equipped with self-closing devices.

Detention Deficiency 8: 07114 Isolating valve for oil fuel supply pipeline of NO.2 generator engine out of order.

Meaning: The isolating valve of the No.2 generator engine's fuel oil system is malfunctioning.

This is also an item that Dalian PSC is adept at inspecting.

Detention Deficiency 9: 07117 Jacketed piping system for high pressure fuel lines of main engine and NO.3 generator engine out of order.

Meaning: The jacketed piping system for the high-pressure fuel lines of the main engine and No.3 generator engine is malfunctioning.

Detention Deficiency 10: 07199 Self-closing valve of flat oil level gauge for DO service tank, FO service tank, FO settling tank, etc. Not provided as required.

Meaning: The diesel oil service tank and fuel oil settling tank are not fitted with flat oil level gauges with self-closing function.

Detention Deficiency 11: 14104 1.Re-circulating facilities of oil filtering equipment not provided as required. 2.Oil filtering equipment failed to be demonstrated running during PSC inspection.3.Oil discharge solenoid valve malfunctioned.

Meaning: The oily water separator has three defects: first, it is not equipped with an internal recirculation function; second, it failed to be demonstrated operational during the PSC inspection; third, the oil discharge solenoid valve is malfunctioning.

Detention Deficiency 12: 14108 Recorder of 15ppm bilge alarm arrangement out of order.

Meaning: The recording function of the 15ppm bilge alarm is malfunctioning.

Detention Deficiency 13: 07120 Steel ladder fixing points of emergency escape trunk in engine room not insulated as required.

Meaning: The steel climbing ladder of the emergency escape trunk in the engine room is welded on the fire-exposed side but not covered with A60-rated materials.

Detention Deficiency 14: 07199 Stern tube L.O gravity tank provided with cylindrical gauge glass.

Meaning: The stern tube lubricating oil gravity tank is fitted with a cylindrical gauge glass tube, which violates the SOLAS Convention's prohibition on the use of glass level gauges.

Detention Deficiency 15: 07120 Clear width of stairway as means of escape in accommodation space not provided as required(only about 650mm in width).

Meaning: The clear width of the escape stairway in the accommodation space is insufficient (less than the required 700mm, only around 650mm).

Detention Deficiency 16: 07109 Fixed local application fire-extinguishing system out of order.

Meaning: The fixed local application fire-extinguishing system is malfunctioning.

Detention Deficiency 17: 07101 The A-60 class bulkhead between engine room and mess room holed at quick-closing valves controls.

Meaning: The A60 fire-rated bulkhead between the engine room and mess room is damaged (at the quick-closing valve controls).

Detention Deficiency 18: 07105 The A-60 class fire door between engine room and mess room holed.

Meaning: There are holes in the A60 fire-rated door between the engine room and mess room.

Detention Deficiency 19: 14108 Precision calibration certificate for 15ppm bilge alarm arrangement not available onboard. (last record is on 14-09-2023)

Meaning: The precision calibration certificate for the 15ppm bilge alarm of the oily water separator has expired; the last calibration date was September 14, 2023.

After going through these 19 detention deficiencies, the lead PSCO in charge of this vessel’s inspection must be a senior veteran with an engine room background.

Some might think this Dalian PSCO was way too tough, but a check of the vessel‘’s inspection history reveals even more jaw-dropping details.

On July 1, this vessel was slapped with 79 deficiencies by Russian PSC, including 48 detention ones. It got detained twice within 4 months, with each detention lasting around a month—truly way beyond all expectations.

We can safely infer that this is definitely a vessel with a whole lot of stories behind it.

Per Vessel Finder data, this ship is still in Dalian. It’s probably too broken to sail and remains under repair.

Detention 2

In contrast to Detention 1, this case is quite standard and unremarkable.

On November 18, Dalian PSC detained the general cargo vessel CEDAR ARROW (IMO No.: 9232802). This is a 2001-built vessel flying the Bahamas flag, classed with DNV, with a gross tonnage of 32,458. PSC issued 2 detention deficiencies, details as follows:

Detention Deficiency 1: 07115 The fire damper of NO.10 ventilator for engine room could not be closed fully.

Meaning: The fire damper of the No.10 engine room ventilator fails to close tightly.

Detention Deficiency 2: 03108 The coaming of ventilator on freeboard deck for emergency fire pump room exceeds 900 MM (ACTUALLY 1300 MM) in height without specially supported.

Meaning: The ventilator coaming serving the emergency fire pump room on the freeboard deck has a height of 1300 mm, exceeding the 900 mm limit without proper support provided.

Ventilator coamings exceeding 900 mm at such locations must be fitted with supports, which is a requirement under the Load Line Convention. Logically, the classification society should be held accountable for such a deficiency.

A few days ago, the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport issued a blockbuster document titled "Key Maritime Document Released in China! It Bears on Enterprise Survival—Responsible Persons Must Study It Word by Word!" requiring ship management companies to fulfill their primary safety responsibilities. Currently in the supervision and trial implementation phase, it is believed that all management companies have felt the pressure: marine engineers and deck officers aged 65 are prohibited from serving, 24-hour on-duty personnel are mandatory, and a portion of safety funds must be reserved. For small shipowners and management companies, the cost pressure is catastrophic.

There are certainly a few ways forward: first, increase investment; second, reflag the vessels to flags of convenience for continued domestic operation; third, relocate the vessels to operate in Southeast Asia and Africa.

But judging from the first case, the path of reflagging old clunkers to flags of convenience for domestic operation may no longer be viable.

The goal of this latest circular from the national MSA should be to eliminate and clear out all aging and sub-standard vessels, driving them out of China's market.

This initiative will not only improve the safety level of the shipping industry, but also boost the shipbuilding industry.

------------------------------------------Reprinted from PSCReady